Magazine having spool rotation inhibiting means



Feb. 5, 1952 F. H. OWENS 2,584,733

' MAGAZINE HAVING SPOOL ROTATION INHIBITING MEANS Filed April s, 1948 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 MAGAZINE HAVING SPOOL ROTATION INHIBITING MEANS F. H. OWEN 8- Feb. 5, 1952 Filed April 8, 1948 Patented Feb. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE MAGAZINE HAVING SPOOL ROTATION INHIBITING MEANS Freeman H. Owens, New York, Application April 8, 1948, Serial N 0. 19,683

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a magazine having rotatable spools therein and more particularly to means for preventing the rotation of said spools when said magazine is not in proper position on the apparatus in conjunction with which it is to used.

This invention has broad applicability to any apparatus in which a replaceable element is adapted to be rotated and in which rotation of the element is not desired when it is not in place on the apparatus.

Of the many applications to which this invention pertains there may be mentioned as most important motion picture cameras, motion picture projectors, photographically recorded sound track reproducers, and magnetic wire or tape reproducers. The invention is herein described and illustrated with respect to the last of these applications, and one species of it is shown in conjunction with a magnetic tape recording and reproducing apparatus the various elements of which are described with particularity in my copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 655,965, filed March 21, 1946, now Patent No. 2,513,423, dated July 4, 1950. It is to be underselected by way of illustration only and the various parts thereof form no part of the present invention except as specifically claimed herein. On the contrary, as has above been set forth, this invention is applicable to many types of apparatus.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 676,703, filed June 14, 1946, and entitled Securing and Driving Means for Rotatable Magazine-Contained Spooll.

For convenienceof operation, and particularly to eliminate the vexing operation of threading and unthreading, it is desirable in apparatus of the ,type described to have the reproducing medium, whether it be in the form of film, magnetic tape or magnetic wire, wound upon a pair of spools which are containedwithin a magazinelike structure which is adapted to be removed from or replaced upon the reproducing apparatus as a unit. While the magazine is not in place upon the apparatus, it is essential that the spools upon which, for example, the magnetic tape is wound, be non-rotatable, in order that the tape not be prematurely unwound or dethreaded therefrom.v When the magazine is placed in operative position upon the reproducing apparatus, however, it is likewise essential that the spools be rotatable so that the tape may be wound upon one and simultaneously unwound from the other. In the'winding and unwinding operation, it is also necessary that the spoolupon which'the tape is to be wound be suitably driven in rotation.

It is, therefore, a prime object of the present invention to devise a magazine structure containing one'or more spools rotatably mounted therein, in which rotation of the spools is prevented until such time as the magazine is in proper position on the apparatus in conjunction with which it is to be used.

It is yet another object of the present inven-. tion to devise such a magazine in which means are provided, apart from the meansdirectly active upon the spools to prevent rotation thereof, to prevent motion of the reproducing medium wound upon the spools until such time as the magazine is in proper position on the apparatus.

Another specific object of the present invention is to devise a magazine which is slidable onto the apparatus with which it is to be used, rotation'of the spools being positively prevented until the magazine is in proper position'on the apparatus. 1 I I Yet another object of the present invention is stood, however, that this application has been to devise a magazine which"when not in position on the apparatuswith which it is to be used, is so constructed as to positively prevent rotation of'the, spools contained therein, the mechanism preventing such rotation .being rendered inoperable by engagementwith an element positioned on the apparatus. In a-"more specific -form, said element is engageable with the spool rotation restricting means by passing through an aperture in said magazine.

It is yet another object of the present invention to combine mechanism embodying the above objects into a simple, compact structure particularly adapted for use in small, home style apparatus of whatever nature desired.v i

To the accomplishment of, the foregoing objects and such other. ,objects asv may hereinafter appear, my presentv invention relates to the con: struction of a magazinespool rotation inhibiting means and driving means as sought to be defined in the appended claims and as described in the accompanying specification, taken together .with the drawings, in which: i

Fig. 1 isa top view of an embodiment of recording apparatus, the top. wall of the magazine being broken away in part to disclose the interior thereof; v I Fig. 2 is a top view of the front central portion or the .magazin aithetop thereof being removed; Fig. 3 is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line 3,.3 of Fig. 1 ;v

Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the movable centering and driving means; and

Fig. 6 is a front view of the central portion of the magazine, taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Viewed in its broad aspects, my invention comprises a magazine, generally designated A, in which is housedone or more spools B=upon which is wound a reproducing medium C, here shown in the form of a magnetizable tape which is adapted to be wound and unwound from andbetween the spools B. The magazine A, which is removable from and replaceable on an apparatus, generally designated E, which acts in conjunction with the tape C to record sound thereonor reproduce the sound thus recorded, contains a rotation inhibiting means, generally designated D, which, when the magazine A is not in proper position on the apparatus .13, serves to inhibitor positively preventundesired'rotation of'either of the :spools B. The-zapparatus .Ecarries. areleasing means, generally designated F, which is active upon the 1-0- tationiinhibiting means Dto render the same inefl'ective'and "thus'render ithe spools B :free to rotate with respect thereto whenever the magazine Aisplacedtinitsproper positionon the apparatus In order to :render =eachof the spools B drivable introftationiin one direction and free to rotate in the other directiona driving means Gis provided engageable witl'r :the spools ;B when the magazine A assumesits proper position upon the apparatus "The magazine A and reproducing apparatus E cr me-embodimentillustrated are so constructed and related that the magazine A is adapted to be brought-to proper position upon theapparatus E by sliding the same 'over the top of the apparatus,that is tosay, in the plane of Fig. 1. To this-end, the driving means G'is movable on the apparatus E between a semi-housed position in which it does not interfere with thesliding motion of the magazine A and a projecting position in which itisengageable with the spoolsB in the magazine A. Therotation inhibiting means D in the magazine Ais soconstructedas to'be movable toinoperativeposition, releasing the spools B for rotation, only after the magazine A has'b'een slid overthe top orthe apparatus E to its proper position. Inaddition, in this embodiment,means are provided for clamping the reproducing medium C itself when the magazine A is removed from the apparatus 'Eso as to prevent unwanted motion of the medium C, this action being supplementary to that of the rotation inhibiting means D upon the spools B.

The apparatus E comprises a framework I00, includinga toppla'te I02 over 'whichthe magazine is adapted 'to be slid, and a cover I04 extending over at least a portion of the "top plate I02 and defining a housing or'rece'ss I08 into which'the frontportion. ofthe'magazine A adapted to be received and in which is housed a tape driving roller "I 08 'and'the magnetizingme'ans I I U'adapted to :cooperate with thereproducing medium C'so as to record thereon or reproduce therefrom. The apparatus'E is provided with a stop lug I I Sadap'ted to "be received within a slot I I1 "in the magazine A for fixing their relativepositions.

The magazine A comprises a casing I I6 within which are .housed the spools B, each being mounted upon a shaft 1 I8 for rotation therewith. A disc 120 provided with a plurality of peripheral notches I22 is fixed to the shaft I I'8Zbelow each of the spools B and the shaft H8 is journalled in the so as to-be receivable within the housing I06 and the central portion thereof is cut back so as to define the indentation I2B. A pair of rollers I50 and I52 are positioned to either side of the indentation I28 and the reproducing medium C is adapted to pass from one spool B over the roller I52, .around the indentation I28, over the roller I50, and thence to the other spool. A slot or aperture I 54 is formed in the front end wall I55 of the magazine A, said slot exposing the reproducing medium C as .it passes overtherollers I50 and I 52 so as to;permit access thereto by the magnetizing means I I0. In addition, the aperture at the center of the indentation I28 is defined between flanges I56 and I58 (see Figs. 2, 3 and 6), the distance between the opposing faces of said flanges I56 and I58 being sufficient to permit entry therethrough of the drive wheel I08 but insuflicientto permit egress therefrom of the reproducing medium C, the height of the reproducingfmedium C being greater than the opening between the flanges I56 and I58.

A plate I60 (see Fig. -3) is mounted on the central casing member I24-so as to be slidable parallel thereto, a pin I62 projecting downwardly from the plate I60 into slot/164 formed in said central casing member I24 so as to limit said sliding motion. A spring I66-is-active upon the pin I62 so as to urge the same, and hence the plate I60, toward'the-front end wall I55 of the magazine, the ends of the spring I66 being retained by pins I68 secured to the central casing member I24. I

The plate I60 is positioned between the spools B and preferably slightly below them and is .pro- Vided with widely projecting arms I10 each having a finger I12 in line with the discs I20 and receivable within the peripheral notches I22 of said discs. When the spring I66 slides the plate I60 toward the aperture I54 in the front end wall I55 of the magazine A, the fingers I'I2 will engage in the peripheral slots I22 of the discs I20 and thus positively prevent rotation of the spools B. When the plate I60 is moved in the opposite direction, away from the apertured front end wall I55, the fingers I'I 2 will be removed from the peripheral notches I22 and consequently the spools B will be free torotate as desired.

A tension roller I'M (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3) is rotatably mounted on the end of the plate I 60 opposite the indentation I28 so as to project slightly therefrom toward the front end wall I55 of the magazine A and the reproducing medium C is adapted to pass 'thereover. It will be noted from Fig. 3 that theheight of the tension roller I14 is comparable to that of the reproducing medium C so that the roller I14, like the reproducing medium C, cannot project out from the magazine A past the flanges I56 and I58. When the plate I60 is moved by the spring I66 toward theiront end wall I55 of the magazine A, as will be the case when the magazine is not in position on the apparatus E, the roller I" will press or clamp the reproducing medium 'C between itself "and the flanges I56 and I58 at the same time that the fingers I12 engage in the peripheral notches I22 in the discs I20 attached to the spools B. Consequently, when the magazine is removed from the apparatus, not only will the spools B wheel I08 will enter between th flanges I56 and 10 I58 (see Fig. 3) and will force the tension roller I14 and consequently the plate I60 in a direction away from the front end wall I 55, thus simultaneously releasing the reproducing medium 0 from its clamped position between the tension 15 roller I14 and the flanges I56 and I58 and releasing the fingers I12 from their engagement with the discs I20. The reproducing medium C will then be clamped in proper driving relationship between the driving wheel I 08 and the tension roller I14 and the spools B will be rotatable so that reproduction may take place.

, The driving means G (see Figs. 4 and 5) may take the form of discs I16 having pins I18 projecting upwardly therefrom and receivable in apertures in a second disc I80 fast on the spool shafts H8 in the magazine A. The discs I16 are rotatable with suitably driven shafts I82, both the disc and shaft being vertically slidable inside fixed bushings I84 which form part of the apparatus E. Sleeves I85 within which the shafts I82 are rotatable may be interposed between the shafts I82 and the bushings I84 so as to be vertically movable with the shafts I82. A plate I86 is provided with a pair of pins I88 each slidable in a slot I90 in a bushing I84 and engageable with a sleeve I85 within which a shaft I82 is rotatable so as to bodily move the shafts I82, the sleeves I85 and the discs I16 vertically between a semihoused position shown in broken lines in Fig. 4.,

in which the tips of the projections I18 are positioned below the top wall I02 of the apparatus E so that the magazine A may be slid into proper position thereon, and a projecting position as shown in the solid lines in Fig. 4, in which the projections I18 are moved upwardly so as to be receivable within the apertures in disc I80 so as to drive the spools B in rotation.

Centrally mounted upon the same plate I86 is a centering and locking pin I94 which is adapted, when the plate I86 is moved to its upward position, to be received within a suitable aperture I96 in the bottom wall I26 of the maga-, zine A (see Fig. 3) so as to lock the latter in its proper position. A fingerpiece I98 may be provided for manipulation of the plate I86 and pin and slot arrangements designated generally I99 and 200 may be provided for limiting and controlling the up and down motion of the plate I86 and for retaining it in position on the appa- 0 ratus E.

In the embodiment illustrated, when the magazine A is removed from the apparatus E the spring I66 active upon the pin I62 will move the plate I toward the apertured front end wall 5 I I55 of the magazine A, thus causing engagement between the fingers I12 and the peripheral notches I22 in the discs I20 so as to positively prevent rotation of the spools B. At the same time, the reproducing medium C is pushed for- 70 producing medium C being clamped thereby so 6 as to prevent any-undesired movement thereof. Before the magazine A is slid into position on the apparatus E, the plate I86 is moved downwardly by means of the fingerpiece I68 so that the driving means G and the locking pin I94 will both move downward to a non-interfering semi-housed position. The magazine A is then slid home, the driving wheel I08 entering the magazine A between the flanges I56 and I58 and moving the tension roller I14 away from the front wall I55, the reproducing medium 0 being clamped between the wheel I08 and the'roller I14. When the magazine A has been slid all the way home, the tension roller I14 will have been moved backwardly an amount suificient so that the fingers I12 will become disengaged from the peripheral slots I22 in the discs I28, thus releasing the spools B for rotation. The plate I86 is then moved upwardly so that the locking pin I94 enters the aperture I96 in the magazine A, thus fixing it in proper position, and the driving means G makes operative connection with each of the spools B so that the latter may be driven in rotation. It is to be noted that the plate I86 cannot be moved upwardly until the magazine A is in its proper position, with the aperture 96 in registration with the locking pin I94, and that the spools B are not released for rotation until the same event occurs so that foolproof operation of the apparatus is ensured, it being impossible to drive the spools in rotation until the magazine A is in proper position, and the spools B being positively prevented from rotation until that time.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, the spools B in the magazine A are posi tively prevented from rotation when the magazine A is not in proper position on the apparatus E, the rotation inhibiting means D being automatically released so that the spools B can be rotated as soon as the magazine A is in proper position on the apparatus E without requiring any special action to that end on the part of the user of the apparatus. The driving wheel I08 is itself enterable into the magazine A through an aperture I54 therein so as not only to engage the reproducing medium C and to drive the same but also to release the rotation inhibiting means D and thus render the spools B rotatable and the reproducing medium C movable. In the illustrated embodiment, manual manipiuation of the driving means G is necessary, after the magazine A is in its proper position, in order to operatively connect them to the spools B.

The interaction of the various elements of the illustrated embodiment presents many novel features as defined in the appended claims and it will be apparent that many detailed variations may be made in the design and arrangement of the illustrated elements Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

l. A magazine comprising a casing having a bottom Wall and an apertured end wall, a pair of spools rotatably mounted in said casing parallel to said bottom wall upon which is wound and between which extends a reproducing medium adapted to be wound upon one spool as it is unwound from the other, a disc having a peripheral opening connected to and parallel with said spools for rotation therewith, a plate slidable parallel to the bottom wall of said casing, said plate carrying a pair of fingers each engageable in the peripheral opening of one of said discs when said plate is moved towards said apertured end wall and disengagea-ble therefrom when said plate is moved away from said apertured end wall, a spring active on said plate to move it toward said apertured end wall, a portion of said plate being engageable by an element enterable into said magazine from the exterior thereof, said plate being movable thereby away from said apertured end wall so as to release said spools for rotation.

2. A magazine comprising a casing having an apertured end wall, a pair of spools rotatably mounted in said casing upon which is wound and between which extends a reproducing medium adapted to be wound upon one spool as it is unwound from the other, a pair of members having a peripheral opening each connected to one of said spools for rotation therewith, a plate slidable in said casing, said plate carrying a pair of fingers each engageable in the peripheral opening of one of said members when said plate is moved towards said apertured end wall and disengageable therefrom when said plate is moved away from said apertured end wall, a spring active on said plate to move it toward said apertured end Wall, a roller over which said medium is adapted to pass rotatably mounted on said plate opposite the aperture in said end wall, the size of the aperture being smaller than the size of said medium and of said roller and the degree of motion of said plate in said first direction being such that when the finger on said plate has engaged with the opening in said member, said roller will clamp said medium against said casing at said aperture.

3. In combination with the magazine of claim 2, an apparatus upon whichsaid magazine is removably replaceable comprising means for receiving said magazine and a driving wheel enterable into said aperture in said end wall when said magazine is in its proper position on said apparatus and active to press said medium between itself and said roller and to move said plate in its second direction an amount sufficient to release said medium from clamped engagement between said roller and said casing and to disengage said finger from the opening in said member, thereby freeing said spool and said medium for appropriate motion.

4. A magazine comprising a casing, a spool rotatably mounted therein, a member rotatable r with said spool, a plate mounted in said casing so as to be movable between a first position in which it engages said member to inhibit rotation of said spool and a second position in which it is disengaged from said member to permit rota- I being larger than said aperture and urged against the said aperture when said plate is in its first position, whereby said element outside said casing, when it is passed through said aperture, can engage said roller and move said plate to its second position.

'7. In combination with the magazine of claim 6, an apparatus upon which said magazine is removably replaceable comprising means for receiving said magazine and a driving wheel enterable into said aperture when said magazine is in its proper position on said apparatus and active to press said medium between itself and said roller and to move said plate in its second direction an amount sumcient to release said medium from clamped engagement between said roller and said casing and to disengage said plate from said member, thereby freeing said spool and said medium for appropriate motion.

8. In the magazine of claim 4, an aperture in said casing through which an element outside said casing may pass, a flange on said aperture, said portion of said plate comprising a roller over which said medium passes rotatably mounted on said plate opposite said aperture, said roller and said medium being of such a size as to overlie said flange, said roller, when said plate is in its first position, being urged against said aperture so as to clamp said medium against said flange.

9. In combination with the magazine of claim 8, an apparatus upon which said magazine is removably replaceable comprising means for receiving said magazine and a driving wheel enterable into said aperture when said magazine is in its proper position on said apparatus and active to press said medium between itself and said roller and to move said plate in its second direction an amount sufficient to release said medium from clamped engagement between said roller and said casing and to disengage said plate from said member, thereby freeing said spool and said medium for appropriate motion.

FREEMAN H. OWENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,372,675 Davis Mar. 29, 1921 1,665,784 I-Iornauer Apr. 10, 1928 2,206,032 Foster July 2, 1940 

